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Girl Scouts

EIN 94-1582429 · Sacramento, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood74 out of 100GovernanceStrong90 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

GIRL SCOUTING BUILDS GIRLS OF COURAGE, CONFIDENCE AND CHARACTER WHO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.

Income
$8.8 million
Spending
$9.0 million
Spent on programs
86%
Reserves
10.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
other income, 74%
Employees
141
Volunteers
7,464
Highest pay
$295,192, chief executive officer

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 74 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 10.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 13% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 8% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    86% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 47 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    19 of 19 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (1)
  1. $7.7 million spent. GIRL SCOUTS IS THE PREMIER LEADERSHIP ORGANIZATION FOR GIRLS. PARTICIPATION IN GIRL SCOUTS CAN CHANGE THE WAY GIRLS SEE THE WORLD AND THEIR PLACE IN IT. GIRL SCOUTS' MISSION IS TO BUILD GIRLS OF COURAGE, CONFIDENCE, AND CHARACTER, WHO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE. SINCE 1912, GIRLS HAVE EXPLORED NEW FIELDS OF KNOWLEDGE, LEARNED VALUABLE SKILLS, AND DEVELOPED STRONG CORE VALUES THROUGH GIRL SCOUTS. TODAY GIRL SCOUTS IS, AS IT ALWAYS HAS BEEN, THE ORGANIZATION BEST POSITIONED TO HELP GIRLS DEVELOP IMPORTANT LEADERSHIP SKILLS THEY NEED TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL ADULTS. AT GIRL SCOUTS, GUIDED BY SUPPORTIVE ADULTS AND PEERS, GIRLS DEVELOP THEIR LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL THROUGH AGE-APPROPRIATE ACTIVITIES THAT ENABLE THEM TO DISCOVER THEIR VALUES, SKILLS, AND THE WORLD AROUND THEM; CONNECT WITH OTHERS IN A MULTICULTURAL ENVIRONMENT; AND TAKE ACTION TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR WORLD. THESE ACTIVITIES ARE DESIGNED TO BE GIRL LED, COOPERATIVE, AND HANDS-ON-PROCESSES THAT CREATE HIGH-QUALITY EXPERIENCES CONDUCIVE TO LEARNING. GIRL SCOUTS HEART OF CENTRAL CALIFORNIA (GSHCC) IS ONE OF 111 COUNCILS OF THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION, GIRL SCOUTS OF THE USA, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1912. GIRL SCOUT COUNCILS ARE ORGANIZED TO DEVELOP THE GIRL SCOUT MOVEMENT IN THE UNITED STATES; TO ESTABLISH LOCAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR LEADERSHIP, ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION OF THE PROGRAM. GIRL SCOUTS HEART OF CENTRAL CALIFORNIA SERVES APPROXIMATELY 18,000 GIRLS AND 8,000 ADULT MEMBERS IN ALPINE, AMADOR, CALAVERAS, COLUSA, EL DORADO, GLENN, MARIPOSA, MERCED, NEVADA, PLACER, SACRAMENTO, SAN JOAQUIN, SOLANO, STANISLAUS, SUTTER, TUOLUMNE, YOLO, AND YUBA COUNTIES. THIS COUNCIL IS INCORPORATED UNDER STATE LAW, IS ADMINISTERED BY A VOLUNTEER BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND EMPLOYS STAFF TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO VOLUNTEERS. THE COUNCIL IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RECRUITMENT, SCREENING, TRAINING AND SUPPORT OF LEADERS AND OTHER VOLUNTEERS, AND RECRUITMENT OF GIRLS, PLACING THEM INTO TROOPS OR INTO PROGRAMS THAT SUIT THEIR NEEDS. THE COUNCIL PROVIDES YEAR ROUND ACTIVITIES FOR GIRLS, AS WELL AS RECOGNITION AND PUBLICITY FOR THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF GIRLS AND VOLUNTEERS. IN SUPPORT OF GIRL SCOUT ACTIVITIES, GSHCC MANAGES AND MAINTAINS A LODGE, TWO CAMPS AND THREE CABINS FOR USE BY GIRL SCOUTS. GSHCC ALSO MANAGES OFFICES AND GIRL PROGRAM SPACE IN THREE AREAS: SACRAMENTO, STOCKTON AND MODESTO. THE COUNCIL ALSO OPERATES TWO SHOPS FOR PURCHASING ITEMS SUCH AS APPAREL, INSIGNIA AND PROGRAM MATERIALS. IT ALSO SPONSORS AN INTERACTIVE, HISTORICAL MUSEUM FEATURING MEMORABILIA THROUGHOUT THE DECADES. GSHCC ALSO OPENED TWO NEW STEM CENTER + MAKERSPACES, WHICH SERVES HUNDREDS OF GIRLS IN STEM-RELATED ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. IN 2019, GSHCC OPENED A NEW MOBILE STEM CENTER + MAKERSPACE, TO TAKE STEM PROGRAMMING TO REMOTE AND URBAN AREAS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since April 1965.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.